Fire-escape.



No. 775,157. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904. J. A. WATT.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. as, 1904.

110 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN A. \VATT, OF HALIFAX, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO \VILLIAM H. JOHNSON,- OF HALIFAX, CANADA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,157, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed January 23,1904. Serial No. 190,413. (No model.)

Be it known that I, Jonx A. \VATT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Halifax, in the Province of Nova Scotia and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire-escapes; and it consists in certain new and useful features of novelty in the construction, arrangement, and operation of the several parts thereof, whereby a portable fire-escape is produced which may be operated either by a person descending the same, by a person stationed upon the ground, or by a person located at a higher elevation from which it is intended to facilitate the course of persons desiring to descend the fireescape.

The features of novelty are hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is meant to bea pictorial representation in detail of the improved tire-escape, illustrating its manner of connection with a convenient window-cap or other projection extending from a house with a winding-drum for the cable resting upon the ground. Fig. 2 is a detached view, partly broken away, illustrating the manner of looking the carrier in position when it is desired to hold the same in a fixed position.

Referring to the drawings, A is a windowcap.

B is a winding-drum, and (J is a cable adapted to be wound upon the drum B.

Supported upon the window-cap A are hooks 1, from which extend converging braces 2, terminating in a hooked extension 3. Supported upon the hook 3 is a pulley-block at. The cable O extends from the drumBup over the pulley at and from thence downwardly, where it is preferably provided with a hook 5, which is adapted to engage with the bail 6 of a receptacle or carrier 7, which is preferably of a fireproof material, as asbestos, if

desired. The body portion of the carrier 7 is preferably collapsible or foldable, and the bottom portion 8 thereof is preferably of some non-ignitible material, as metal.

Connected with the pulley-block 1 is a link or strap 9, provided with a hook 10, adapted to engage with the eye 11, suspended from the lower portion of said pulley-block. Supported pivotally upon the link 9 is a brakelever 12, the free end of which, 13, is preferably provided with a depressed seat portion which is adapted to be engaged by the slidable ring 14, which is supported upon the bail 6. The lever 12 is provided with substantially parallel vertical openings, through which the cable (1 passes. These parallel openings in lever 12 are preferably of approximately the diameter of the cable C. The cable C passingupwardly through one of the openings referred to over the pulley-block t and down through the companion opening in the lever 12 to the carrier 7, it is obvious that when the end 13 of lever 12 is depressed and a weight carried in the carrier '7, whereby the ropes are made taut, a frictional engagement will be made between said brake 12 and the said cable, thereby checking the progress of the cable through said lever. The lever being supported by the link 9 it is in a position to be manipulated by a person stationed at the window D shown in the drawings. \Vhen, however, it is not convenient to have a person stationed in the window for manipulating the brake-lever, the link 9 may be disengaged from the pulley-block 1 and the relative position of the lever 12 with relation to the carrier 7 be changed, so as to bring the lever to relatively the position shown in Fig. 2, at which time the person occupying the tire-escape or carrier 7 will be in a position to manipulate the lever, and thereby control the speed of his or her descent to the ground. \Vhen, however, the fire-escape is to be used in lowering to the ground persons who are incapable of manipulating the. brake-lever 12, the supplemental lever 15, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be used, and, if desired, said lever 15 may rest with one end upon the ground, so as to occupy a position wherein the operator may place his feet upon said lever 15, which is likewise provided with a vertical opening, and thereby cause said lever 15 to operate as a brake to check the unwinding of cable C from the drum B.

It will be apparent that other suitable supporting means may be provided for the pulley 4:, if desired, or, if preferred, the cable C may be provided with an auxiliary lever like 12, which would be a substantial duplication thereof, the said auxiliary lever being connected to move at all times with the carrier 7, and other minor changes in the detail construction and formation and operation of my device will be within the spirit of my invention, and it is my purpose to claim the same except as hereinafter limited in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. In a fire-escape, a support, a windingdrum, a cable connected therewith, a carrier thereon, a pulley between said carrier and said drum, a brake-carrying means separate from the cable, and a brake pivotally supported thereon, said brake being provided with perforations for the passage therethrough of said cable.

2. In a fire-escape, a support, a windingdrum, a cable connected therewith, a carrier thereon, a pulley between said carrier and said drum, a brake-carrying means connected with said pulley and separate from the cable, and a brake pivotally supported thereon, said brake being provided with perforations for the passage therethrough of said cable.

3. In a fire-escape, a rotatable drum, acable windable thereon, a support, a pulley carried thereby, a carrier connected with said cable, an engaging means on said carrier, a brakelever provided with a plurality of perforations slidable on said cable and adapted to lock with said engaging means, and a support for said brake-lever.

4. In a fire-escape, a rotatable drum, a detachable supporting means, a pulley supported thereby, a cable from said drum extending over said pulley, a carrier adapted to be connected with said cable, a brake engaging means connected therewith, a brake-support, and a brake-lever pivotally supported thereon, said brake lever being provided with substantially parallel cable openings therethrough.

5. In a fire-escape, a rotatable drum, a support adapted to connect with a window-casing, a pulley supported thereby, a cable, a carrier, and a lever forming a friction-brake movable on said cable, between the upper and lower ends thereof at any convenient point, and means on said carrier for engaging said brake.

6. In a fire-escape, a looped cable, a support for the looped portion, and a controllinglever loosely engaging each portion of the looped cable, the movement of the lever in either direction operating to bite each portion of the said cable and grip the same for modifying its movement.

7 In a fire-escape, the combination with a cable, of a pulley for supporting the same, one end of the cable passing through the pulley and carrying a moving support or receptacle, a lever supported between the two sections of the rope and having openings formed therein through which both portions of the rope may run, the movement of the lever in either direction serving to bite or grip both sections of the rope and modify its movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. WATT.

WVitnesses:

A. G. GRoss, WV. A. LYONS. 

